Wave-motor



NETE STATES FRANCIS M. GRAHAM, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

WAVE-MOTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,051, dated October 19, 1897.

Application filed January 13, 1897. Serial No. 6 (N0 modem To all whom, it may 0071/06/11);

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have inventedcertain-new and useful Improvements in VVave-Motors; and

I do hereby declare that the following isa tails of construction as will be hereinafter fully shown in the drawings and described and pointed out in the specification. In the ordinary wave-motor the float is not raised to the full height of the wave operating the same, for the reason that the wave travels with such speed that it begins to recede before the float has been carried its full stroke or height. By this failure of the float or weight to move the full upward distance of the wave, the rise and fall movement of the said float or weight is considerably limited.

It is the object of myinvention to construct the wave-motor so that the wave cannot recede until after the float or weight has been raised to the full height thereof.

In order to understand my invention fully, reference must be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the arrangement of the floats within the casing. Fig. 2 is a side View in elevation, the casing being partly broken away, showing the connection between the slide-rods located within the casing and the verticallylnovable rods secured outside of the casing, and the connection between said rods and the fulcrumed catches for the swinging doors or gates hinged within openings in one side of the casing; and Fig. 3 is a sectional top plan view taken on line a? at, Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the letter A is used to indicate the closed casing, which casing is rigidly secured or anchored in any suitable manner. In the bottom of the casing are formed the inlet-openings a, said openings being closed by the hinged valves a. In one of the sides of the casing are formed the openings 1 2 3. Within these openings are hinged the gates or doors 4 5 6, which gates or doors are hinged so as to swing inward and outward.

Within the casing A is located the main float or weight B, which float or weight is connected to any suitable power mechanism by means of the chain or cable B. Above the weight or float B is placed the auxiliary float B which is made lighter than the float B and moves freely upon the chain or cable, said chain or cable passing through a central vertical opening in the float B Each float or weight moves between the vertical guide-rods C G, and is held thereto by means of the corner-straps 1). Within the casingA are located the Vertical rods 0*, said rods being movable toward or from the sides of the casing containing the hinged gates or doors 4 5 6. The vertical rods C work at each end in the guide-plates h, secured at the top and bottom of the casing A, Fig. 1.

To the outside of the casing A are secured the'vertically-movable rods D. These rods work through the ears I), projecting from the casing, and. each rod is connected to the latches D, fulcrumed to the edges of the said casing, by means of the studs 6 projecting from the rods fitting within the slot 19 formed in the tail of the latch D. The rods being thus connected, it is obvious that as the rods D are raised or lowered the latches D will turn upon their fulcrumed point, so as to unlock or look the doors or gates 4 5 G. The position of the latches, when the gates or doors are locked against outward movement, is illustrated by Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Through an opening d, formed in two sides of the casing, extends the crank-rod 01. One end of each rod is rigidly connected to one of the vertical rods 0 while the free end of the rod is downwardly inclined and works beneath the stud d projecting from the vertically-movable rods D. As the rods d are moved beneath the studs d by the outward movement of the rods (lathe studs 61 ride upon the inclined portion of the crank-rods d and the rods D are gradually raised. During the upward movement of these rods the latches D gradually turn upon their fulcrumed point, so as to unlock the gates or doors 4 5 6. The rods G are moved outward, so as to cause the crank-rods d to raise the rods D in order to unlock. the gates or doors 4 5 6, by means of the lovers E, fulcruined to the main float or weight 13. The lower end of each lever terminates in a claw e, which embraces the rods C As these fulerumed levers are straightened out the rods C will be forced outward.

As the wave strikes against the casing the valves a are opened inwardly and the water rushes into the casing through the openings a and the openings of the doors or gates t 5 6, said gates swinging inward with the pressure of the water. The gates 4t 5 (3 being locked against outward movement, it is obvious that, while the water is free to enter the casing, it cannot escape therefrom until the said gates are released or unlocked. The water rushing into the casing causes the lighter float l to rise to its full height. The

lower or heavier float, owing to the water being confined, gradually rises to the top of the water within the casing. As the lower float is raised to the surface of the water, the upper float will rest thereon, bearing with its full weight upon the upper end of the levers fulcrumcd to the said lower float. \Vhile the upper float is considerably lighter than the lower float, it is nevertheless of sufficient weight to cause the levers E, when resting thereon, to force the rods 0 outward in order that the crank-rods may lift the rods D, so as to throw the latches and unlock the doors or gates 4 5 6, so that the pressure of the retained water will swing the said gates outward as the water escapes from within the casing. As the water escapes from within the casing the floats l3 and 13 will gradually move toward the bottom of the casing. In order that the movement of the valves a may not be interfered with, the weight or float l3 does not at any time rest upon the bottom of the casing, but, when at rest, is held a short distance above the bottom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wave-motor, the combination with the fixed easing, water openings formed through the bottom and side of the casing, of the inwardly-moving valves controlling the openings in the bottom of the casing, the gates hinged to swing within the side openings of the casing, the lock devices for said gates, the two floats located within the casing and connection between the lock devices and the upper float.

2. In a wave-motor, the combination with the fixed casing, having water-openings in the bottom and side thereof, the valves controlling the openings in the bottom, hinged gates closing the side openings, the main float located within the casing, an auxiliary float placed above the main float, the levers fulcrumcd to the main float, the rods movably secured within the casing, said rods being operated by the movement of the fulcrumed levers, the vertically-movable rods secured to the outside of the casing, connection be tween said rods and the movable rods within 'the casing, the lock devices for the swinging in presence of two witnesses, this 20d day of December, 1806.

FRANCIS H. GRAHAM.

\Vitnesses:

N. A. ACKER, LEE D. CRAIG. 

